CSF VDRL test

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

CSF test for syphilis

Overview

Risks

Results

CSF VDRL test

Alternative Names:

Venereal Disease Research Laboratory slide test - CSF

What the risks are:

Risks of lumbar puncture include:
- Hypersensitivity (allergic) reaction to the anesthetic
- Discomfort during the test
- Headache after the test
- Bleeding into the spinal canal
- Brain herniation (if performed on a person with increased intracranial pressure) which may result in brain damage or death
- Damage to the spinal cord or nerve roots

Special considerations:

Since the CSF VDRL test can have false negative results, additional tests such as protein levels and white blood cell counts may be done on the spinal fluid to diagnose neurosyphilis.

References:

U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Screening for Syphilis Infection: Recommendation Statement. Ann Fam Med 2004; 2: 362-365.

Review Date: 6/10/2005
Reviewed By: A.D.A.M. editorial and Eleftherios Mylonakis, M.D., Division of Infectious Disease, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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